Greetings from Atlanta!

Now that I am back in Atlanta from serving the Lord from Japan, God’s purpose for my life has become clearer. Much clearer. His plans are my plans. His will. My will. For the rest of my life.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”~ Jeremiah 29:11~

After reflecting on the service that I did for the women and children while in Japan, the Holy Spirit of God made it clear to me that He wants me to do women and children’s ministry. Women’s ministry. Yes. I already knew that this was a part of God’s will for my life. But CHILDREN’S MINISTRY?? Wow! God, You certainly wow’d me with that part of Your calling on my life. I was not expecting God to reveal this as a part of His mandate for my life. ~”For many are invited, but few are chosen.”~Matthew 22:14~

While in Japan, I messaged a couple of good friends on Facebook who I know from Bethel Atlanta. One of them prophesized the Word of the Lord on my life that God shared with her. She told me that I would bring many children into the Kingdom of Jesus! Wow God! Wow! “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”~Habakkuk 2:3~

I prayed what my friend from Bethel Atlanta shared with me to make sure that it was of God. After spending time with the children in Vacation Bible School for one full week and for spending most of that Summer tutoring in an afterschool program, His calling for my life became clearer. Much clearer. God revealed to me that He wants me to do children’s ministry! 😀 ~”So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”~Matthew 20:16~

By doing children’s ministry, I am glorifying God as He uses me as His vessel to bring children into the kingdom of Jesus! He empties me of myself. I die to myself. And I serve the little children who God brings or puts in my life in the moment: whether it be in the US or abroad! 🙂

“But Jesus called the children to him and said,” Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”~Matthew 18:16~

You are probably reading this blog and asking me, “Sarah, how and in what way do you plan on serving children in the area you are in now??” As I have been praying, God told me to get involved in the children’s ministry at First Baptist Atlanta, my church back in Atlanta. He also told me to get involved with the single women at the church because my spiritual gifts (discernment, wisdom, etc.) will be used to glorify the kingdom of God as I am proactive and put them into good use to build up and encourage the women and children who I am serving around me. ~”Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”~Matthew 4:4~

Since I just graduated with my M.A. in Global Studies from Liberty University (PTL—–Praise the Lord!! Hallelujah!!), I am now applying to ministry jobs that will allow me to glorify the kingdom of God through writing, blogging, and communications. With my B.A. in Mass Communication and my M.A. in Global Studies, God will use me in whatever ministry He places me as I apply. Doors are already opening up. It’s just a matter of where God wants me to be and His orchestrated timing. His timing is the best. Always the best! ~”You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your word. Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.”~Psalm 119:114,116~

Please pray for me as I begin ministry in Atlanta and send out job applications for ministry placement. Pray for me and share this blog post with friends and family! God bless! ~ 🙂

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“Pray for them.”

These were God’s words that He whispered in my ear to me today as I sat down in my prayer room at a church in the Miyakonojo, Miyazaki prefecture of Japan: “Pray for them.” I sought the answer I had been seeking for several months. ~”If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”~Matthew 21:38.~

God wants me to pray for them. Who might you ask yourself as you read this blog post that the Lord instructed me to pray for? My two best friends. If you have been reading and following this blog intently, I wrote a blog post a couple of months ago explaining that I got into an argument with my two best friends. I went to the International House of Prayer to pray to God for an answer as to how He wanted me to deal with my friends. “Love them,” He said. ~”Love your neighbor as yourself.”~Mark 12:31.~

God also told me this: “Forgive yourself and forgive them.” I did this immediately and the power of Jesus healed me. This process took five months. ~”And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”~Matthew 6:12.~

Five months. Five months is a long time. I had NO ONE to comfort me. NO ONE to talk to about how to handle the situation. NO ONE who understood me. NO ONE to go to for comfort. NO ONE, besides Almighty God. I learned that Jesus is my Best Friend: the Best Friend that anyone could have, ask, or receive. “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”~Psalm 119:76.~

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I have known them for five years. Five years. That is a long time. We shared many fun, happy, and even sad times together. It was the worst time for me. I never imagined that we would go for this long without talking. It saddens me, but gives me more reason to fight for them through prayer. ~”Come near to God and he will come near to you.~James 4:8.~

Now, I can live out the freedom that is in Christ Jesus because His healing power set me free. Free. What is this free that you may ask me as you keep reading? Free from sin. Free from heartache. Free from bitter words, gossip, hatred, and the putrid thoughts of others. Free from these burdens because there is no burden in Jesus Christ. I don’t think of these things anymore because I focus my mind on Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. ~”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”~Matthew 11:28-29.~

It is this friendship that I find in Jesus Christ as I experience everlasting freedom in Him. His story is my story of how I drew close. Very close to Him. The closer I got to Him, the more I drew nearer to Him. There is no shame in Him. There is no guilt in Him. I am His beloved and not condemned. ~”All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal.”~Matthew 11:28-29.~

My best friends changed, but the love of Jesus remains the same. My best friends can love me or hate me, but the love of Jesus remains the same. My best friends can think I am crazy for writing this blog post (yes, even for writing this blog post—even if they are reading it), but God knows the pure intentions of my heart and that my motives are good. ~”The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”~1 Timothy 1:5.~

God also gave me a shocking word: “Let them go. I have them.”

God told me to let my two best friends go so that I can focus on His plans for my life, such as His ministry for me in Japan. He also gave me a final command: “Pray for them.”

Even if my two best friends never talk to me again, give me a phone call, love me, or hate me, I know that God has them in the palm of His hands. Painful, yes, but for the best. God’s best for me. His plans always work out for the best, even though I think that they may not.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.”~Romans 8:28~

I love my best friends. SO MUCH. But God loves them more. And I love Him more. And that is why I pray for their sake:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I love my two best friends. Please be with them. Reveal yourself to them as I serve You and the Japanese in Japan. Reveal who You are and the I AM That You have been to me to them these past 5 months. Free them from captivity and from the power of the enemy. May the Holy Spirit rain fire from Heaven and ascend like a dove just like Jesus did for His sake for me. Save them. Free them from captivity. Free them from sin. Free them from all of the powers of hell and from the powers of the enemy. May no weapon formed against them prevail. Forgive them for mistreating me. Forgive them for ignoring me and for ignoring You. Forgive them for shutting me out. Love them just as you love me. I trust and know that You have them just as You have me in Your ministry for me in Japan. May Your Holy Spirit fall on them. Open their eyes and ears now. Wake them up from sin so that the enemy falls back and does not consume them. Let them know that Jesus is the Only One who can save them from themselves and not self from self. Thank you for teaching me this lesson. May my story be a testimony of Your faithfulness from me to them. Free them now.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

God bless you beloved. Stay encouraged. 🙂

“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”~Job 42:10~

This morning, I listened to Part One of a message on “Brokenness,” by Dr. Charles F. Stanley. What he quoted towards the end of the sermon astounded me:

“All revival follows brokenness. It does not precede it. It follows it.”

I was convicted of many things after listening to this message. Even though I had been going through many hardships these past couple of months (friendships, family, finances, etc.), I knew that God was breaking me to a point where I had to absolutely surrender my direction to be His direction for my life, especially since He has called me to greater plans than the plans that I had in mind for myself. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” ~Proverbs 16:3~

Myself was selfish. Myself was full of self. Myself was foolish. Myself was ignorant of God and arrogant of wanting to accept His perfect will and plan for my life. This included His ministry for me. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” ~Proverbs 16:18~

And so it was at that moment that I learned that I had to lean on my Abba Father and no one else EXCEPT HIM in order for me to understand why He was allowing me to go through the hardships that He was allowing me to go through. God was refining me into the woman of His calling. ~”…but the Lord tests the heart.” ~Proverbs 17:3~

The Holy Spirit convicted me to journal a list of things that I had been holding to that were hindering me from living in full submission to God’s perfect will for my life. Here it is:

After spending time with Lord in prayer, I realized that I had to give up all of these worldly things since they were stumbling blocks for me to TRUST in God’s perfect will for my life. These things are temporary and cannot satisfy what is eternal and heavenly, which are unseen. ~”For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”~ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18~

I took a pail of rocks and held 12 of them, one by one, and prayed to God that from this day on, I choose to surrender these worldly things to Almighty God so that I can live in total submission to His will for me. ~”Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”~ John 12:24-25~

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I nailed all of these things to the cross of Jesus Christ—-and it was in this moment that I died to self. ~”And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”~ Mark 9:1~

Praise the Lord for this revival of my spirit! I can now live in the victory that I have always had since Jesus Christ died for me and my sins! I am victorious, in Jesus’ name. ~”Yours Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.”~ 1 Chronicles 29:11~

I have overcome my brokenness because I surrendered all of it to Jesus. My Lord and Savior already overcame it. ~”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors thorough him that loved us.”~ Romans 8:37~

I now want to end this blog post by writing out a prayer for any of you who is reading this it right now and struggling with brokenness and surrender. Let us pray:

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me to courage to testify of how you broke me of this world so that I can come to you in brokenness. Thank you for giving me to strength to let go of these worldly things so that I can fully worship You and submit myself to your absolute will for my life. May You grant any Christian who is struggling with breaking free of himself or herself or any sins that he or she may be holding onto be broken for Your sake so that You may be glorified. May good and not evil come out of being in the state of brokenness so that he or she can let of any present sins in order for him or her to live his or her future free of the sins of the past. Do not let any weapon of the past prosper over Your son or daughter. I speak renewal over his or her mind right now, in Jesus’ name, so that he or she can fully trust you. May your sons and daughters fully surrender to your perfect will for their lives. May they see the good that comes out of being broken and be free now.

In Jesus’ name,

AMEN.     

“Sarah—Draw close to me.”~God.
“Why?,” I asked Him.

“Just trust me,” He said.

This was God’s message to me as I was taking a walk and listening to Bethel Music on my iPod one brisk evening.

I knew that God was on the move for me and that He was fighting for me….I just did not know how as my faith was so small at the time. ~”Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?”~(Matthew 8:26)~

As I was walking back to my apartment, I pictured the Lord planting a seed inside of my heart. Why was this seed significant? It symbolized the hope that I had in Christ Jesus. “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.”~(Hebrews 6:19)~

I shut the door of my apartment and went to my bedroom.  I tried to sleep, but could not, so I decided to spend time with the Lord in prayer. Then, I began to cry silently to God. My crying grew louder as I wept bitterly. I questioned God as to why He was allowing me to go through this rough season as I was facing many financial struggles, no job, ongoing issues with my best friends and family, and the spiritual warfare and opposition from friends and family against me going on my mission trip to serve Him and Japanese women and children in Japan. Tears poured down my face as I wept in my broken state of heart. ~”Jesus wept.”~(John 11:35)~

Despite the many tears I shed, I knew that even if my closest friends and family members thought that this hope that the Lord God had given me was nothing more than wishful and fanatical thinking that it gave me the strength to abide in the hope of Christ. It was then that I remembered my life Bible verse:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”~(Philippians 4:13)~

At that moment, I was able to crack a smile through the tears and emotional pain that I was experiencing. While God was breaking my heart for what broke His, He was able to turn my sadness and grief into joy unspeakable.  This joy became my strength! 😀 ~”…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”~(Nehemiah 8:10)~

It was then that I knew what it meant to rejoice in my sufferings. There is hope for us, as followers of Christ, when we choose to surrender His will to be our will. I let His will be my will out of broken surrender and selflessness instead of self. ~”O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”~(Matthew 26:42).

I went to bed as the Lord lay me down to sleep. It is well with me now. My joy rests in the Lord as I dwell in His presence with this final thought sent from heaven to me:

“My hope is your will for your life.”~God

May the Lord cherish and keep you beloved! Stay blessed! ❤

My spirit broke.

This was how I felt after having a seizure a couple of weeks ago. I was never expecting anything this serious to happen to me. I asked God why He allowed the Enemy to take my mind in this way. God replied to me: “Trust me. I know what I am doing.” ~”Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”~ Psalm 46:10.~

A couple of days after the seizure happened, I evaluated my life. I am graduating soon from Liberty University Online with a seminary degree, am going on an internship to Japan in a couple of weeks, and am trying to figure out God’s grand plan for my life after Japan.  Everything seemed to be going well before the seizure happened. But, was this seizure a part of God’s plan for me? I decided to ask God in prayer, “Why did You allow this seizure to happen to me?”

He said to me, “Trust me.” “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” ~Romans 8:28.~

I am still confused to this day as to why He allowed this seizure to happen to me. I have a mixture of feelings: angry, sad, depressed. But in the midst of all of these emotions, I know that this brokenness that I feel will be used for God to be glorified, even when I cannot physically see nor understand why He allowed the seizure to happen to me. I choose to trust in what I cannot see, even when things don’t make sense to me in the moment. ~”For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.~2 Corinthians 4:17-18.~

Even as I type this blog post, I praise God for how far I have come since this past year (yes, even after my seizure!!):

• I went on a short-term mission trip to Lebanon, which provided divine insight into God’s calling for me to go into ministry.
• I am almost finished with my M.A. degree in Global Studies from Liberty University Online.—-I receive my degree in the mail in August! 😀
• I am learning how to share the love of Christ with my family as I re-establish ties with them.—I am praying for them to surrender their lives to Christ as their personal Savior.
•  I am going to Japan for my 2nd short-term mission trip to share the love of Jesus with the Japanese and show them who He is.

Even after the seizure, I choose to not let it define me and MOVE ON with Jesus holding my hand. ~”Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” ~Matthew 7:14.~

Jesus is carrying me into the next stage of my life and I choose to trust Him as He breaks away all form of bad influences, power, principalities, and weapons that are attempting to stop me from remaining obedient to God’s will and calling for me to go into ministry. I rebuke fear. ~”For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”~2 Timothy 1:7.~

I take every negative thought captive to Jesus as He destroys it and cleanses my mind of oppression. ~”Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”~2 Corinthians 10:5.~

I choose to walk into the future with faith…..Are you??

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”~2 Corinthians 5:7.~

Beloved:

May this prayer encourage you as it has for me. 🙂 :

Jesus,

Help me. It is with a humble heart that You break me as You come to me in this helpless state. I cannot help myself. Only You can help me. You are my Help. You are my Comforter. You comfort me when others cannot comfort me. Your words restore me to life as I go through this rough season of my life.  You are the Order of my steps as I walk the tough patches of today. You promise me hope and a future. I declare over me that no weapon will prevail over my mind or give my soul to the enemy because I belong to You. May the gravity of your love draw me close to you as I step into the power of the Holy Spirit and walk by faith as evidence of the hope that You place in me today. Thank you that I can be open in fellowship with You everyday. You are my Best Friend. Be with me as I go and conquer today. 

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

~”And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”~ John 14:16, 18, 20~

🙂

God, hear my prayer: forgive me.

This was my prayer as I entered the double doors of the International House of Prayer on Sunday, March 19th, 2017. ~”for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”~Isaiah 56:7~

Thinking about the argument that I had a couple of weeks ago with 2 dearly close friends of mine, I knew that something had to be done in me: a change of heart in my  heart in order for me to stand before the throne of God as forgiven and free, in Jesus’ name, without looking back. ~”But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”~Matthew 13:16~

After receiving a prophetic word today from God, I knew that He would richly bless me today. ~”The Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”~Numbers 6:24-26~

This blessing was preached from an inspiring sermon by Billy Humphrey titled, “The Way of Humility.” The Holy Spirit taught me many things through this sermon today as He gave me the ears to hear His precious Word today. ~”How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”~Psalm 119:103~

This was when the breakthrough began: God opened my eyes to my own sin and I truly, sincerely, and wholeheartedly repented for the harsh and unkind words I said to my friends. ~”Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.”~Job 34:32~

I learned that I had to be humble before God before being humble before others, including my friends. This meant me yielding my opinions of how badly I thought my friends treated me to God first and foremost, and then my friends, and then putting my friends first before God and then me. ~”When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us, he has taken it and nailed it to the cross.”~Colossians 2:13-14~

It was in this moment that I knew the inner change was occurring in my heart. God forgave me, lavishing me with His unfailing grace and love. I truly humbled myself to God. ~”But he gives us more grace. This is why scripture says: God opposes the proud but shows grace to the humble.”~James 4:6~
Another breakthrough occurred.  
A minister came up to me after the sermon and asked me “Where are you hurting?”

I replied, “I hurt all over: My head, neck, and back ache from a recent car accident and my heart aches too.”

She told me, “Come with me.”

I followed her into a prayer room. Herself and another lady prayed for me, laying hands on my head, back, and stomach as I worshipped and thanked God  (literally, I fell onto the floor and started praising God) for the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual healing that took place today. ~”Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”~James 4:10~

In that moment, I had a vision: The hand of God brought me before His throne and I was bowing before God Almighty and worshipping Him before His throne. The scriptures came alive in this moment of my life. ~”As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.”~James 2:26~

I opened my eyes and began to praise Jesus, thanking Him for many things, specifically for the inner and outer healing that took place today. ~”The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”~John 1:14~

As I walked out of the double doors of the International House of Prayer, God revealed me the following points:

• I am free. 
• I am forgiven.
• It is finished.

God is good. And I leave this blog post with a blessing for my 2 friends 🙂 :

~Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. ~Acts 13:38-39~

May the Lord bless and keep you today, tomorrow, and forevermore, my dear and beloved one. God bless! ♡♡♡

“Sarah: You are fearless and wonderfully made”~God.

These are the words God shared with me during my personal walk in the Lord MANY times throughout my life. These truths have grown me stronger and more confident in my walk with the Lord as I be still and listen to His voice guide my life.”So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”~Romans 10:17~

At my full time job at Chick-fil-A, I have dealt with many customers of varying personalities. Some have treated me rudely while others have complimented me with kind words. One day, a customer told me: “I like the color of your nails.” Another customer asked me, “I like your hair! Is red your natural color?” These compliments built me up with this wonderful reminder: I am beautiful outside. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”~Psalm 139:14~

As I was taking a customer’s order one day, one of the employees of Chick-fil-A allowed me to realize this about me: I not only have outer beauty, I have inner beauty too. He told me, “You are glowing! You have Christ radiating in you.”Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”~1 Peter 3:3-4~

One day, one of my managers from Chick-fil-A, who worked closely with me during my first two weeks of training, shared a Bible verse with me that has remained tucked in my heart every time I deal with an angry customer: Joshua 1:9: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

 My manager reminded me that I must have confidence from the Lord that cannot come from myself because godly confidence comes from God: NOT what human flesh can do alone. “For to be carnally minded minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”~Romans 8:6-8~

One of the reasons why I LOVE Joshua 1:9 is because it reminds me that I am not just another beautiful face: I am a fearless fighter of Jesus Christ, MY God who I serve unashamedly as I boldly live up to my identity in Christ everywhere I do, including Chick-fil-A, and in all that I do to serve God. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”~Romans 1:16~

Yesterday, a customer looked at me straight into my eyes with her small-sized glasses with grace that could only come from God. She kindly told me after I made her a lemonade, “Thank you, Sarah,” before walking away with her meal in hand. “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you “~1 Thessalonians 5:18~

“Wow, she acknowledged me by thanking me,” I thought to myself before I took the order from the next customer. This customer allowed me to face my fear of rejection by reinforcing the Biblical truth that God sees me as significant because I am important to Him. It all depends upon how I put the fruits of the Holy Spirit on display not only at Chick-fil-A, but EVERYWHERE I go without giving into fear. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”~2 Timothy 1:7~

All of my experiences at Chick-fil-A and Biblical truths reinforce not only all parts of me, but who I am, as God’s fearlessly beautiful creation. Now as I type this last sentence of this blog post, I declare what was forever ordained by God since my first heart beat: “I am fearless and wonderfully made.”

2017 is here and I have a lot to be thankful for in this new year.

God has me blessed beyond reason and I give all of the glory, honor, and praise to Him. “In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.”~Psalm 44:8~

I have a full time job at Chick-fil-A, am on a plan to lose weight, graduate with a Master of Arts degree from Liberty University Online this Summer, go to Japan for my Summer internship, and the potential to travel abroad with OM International after I graduate. In a nutshell, God has many great things coming my way in 2017. “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath ye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”~Isaiah 64:4~

Before 2016 ended, God showed me that I must breakaway with my past by making peace with ALL of my family and allow Him to thrust me forward into the future He has planned for me. First, I am doing so by slowly restoring ties with my Mom. God bless my Mom, who have birth to me. “Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.”~Ezekiel 19:10~

Then, God revealed me that I must not only restore ties with my Mom, but with my Dad and siblings in order to live peaceably with myself and have peace of God in my heart. I do not know what this is going to look like in the future, but I am letting God direct my steps in how He wants me to restore ties with them in order for healing to begin. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”~Psalm 37:23~

Satan has torn my family apart due to various issues, leading to bitterness, hatred, and a great divide among all of us. At the same time, God is allowing me to see them in the way Jesus sees them: loved and to love them well. “We love him, because he first loved us.”~1 John 4:19~

 This is because God is a God of peace and not confusion. I must take every thought captive to God in order to love my family well and make peace with them in how God directs me to do so with them. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”~2 Corinthians 10:5~

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit teaches me in the same hour what I ought to say to ALL of my family when God ordains me to speak to my dad and siblings in His timing. “For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say”~Luke 12:12~

Laying aside my family issues, I am looking forward to what God has in store for me in 2017. I won’t look back: never. I go forward, in Jesus’ name, free and full of all of the fruit of the Spirit, in Jesus’ name. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”~Galatians 5:22-23~

Pray for 2017 friends. Pray for my family. Pray for peace to all. Love you all and God bless! 🙂

~”And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”~Matthew 21:22~

Christmas.

It can be a time of happiness, being around friends and family, and giving and receiving gifts as carols are sung and everyone decks the halls in merry cheer. 

BUT for others, it can be a time of heartache, struggle, and great sadness over the loss of loved ones.

For me, I have never experienced the loss of a loved one (especially around Christmas time), but can only imagine what it is like from the perspective of friends.

A couple of days ago, I found out that one of my close friend’s family members unexpectedly passed away. Even though I never knew my close friend’s family member, I could not help but mourn over her sudden loss. “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.”~Psalm 56:8-9~

I did not sleep the night I found out about my friend’s family member’s death and brought my feelings about this sudden loss before the Lord the next day. I went to Starbucks, journaled a letter to God, and prayed for guidance to Him in how to handle my feelings and asked Him how He could use me to bring comfort to my friend and her family. He led me to send a card, flowers, and gifts (Starbucks giftcards) to my friend and her family. The reason behind why I carried out this simple act of kindness was this: to bring love, peace, joy, and the hope of Jesus to my friend and her family this Christmas season. “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”~Romans 15:13~

I prayed over the card, flowers, and Starbucks giftcards before I sent them to my friend and her family. My prayer was that these gifts may be received as blessings from God’s heavenly sky to my friend and her family this Christmas season. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.”~James 1:17~

Even though I have not spoken to my friend since this happened, I pray that the Lord may bless and keep her and her family together this Christmas season. “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”~Numbers 6:24-26~

My prayer is for anyone who is dealing with the loss of a friend, family member, or loved one may be divinely inspired and blessed richly from these writings I write and most importantly bring it before the Lord in order for healing to take place this Christmas season. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”~Psalm 147:3~

Thank you for reading this blog post. May God bless everyone! 🙂

~”Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”~Luke 9:50~